Battery hand lamp



Nov. 10, 1931. R. R. SMITH 1,331,514

BATTERY HAND LAMP Filed March 22, 1926 Z7 2 2417 z? 2? Z8 INVENTQR:

? Y ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES.

PATIENT OFFICE RALPH B. SMITH, OF JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTONATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK BATTERY HANDLAMP Application filed March 22, 1926. Serial No. 96,598.

This invention relates to improvements in electric li hting devices suchas battery hand lamps or ashlights, and more particularly toimprovements in mechanism for focusing the l incandescent lamps thereof.V

In focusing flashlights similar to the one disclosed in U. S. Patent No.1,668,881 granted May 8, 1928, upon an application Serial No. 466,639,filed May 4;, 1921, in the name of Lee J. Voorhees, the reflector andadjustable lamp holder are combined as a unit, which unit is secured inthe battery case by a lens ring that clamps the reflector. In someflashlights it is desirable to mount the lamp holder independently ofthe reflector, so that the latter shall be easier to manufacture,assemble llmd keep clean. It is also important that the gui edaccurately along the focal axis of the reflector during the focusingmovement. A

further object is to provide an improved lens and reflector assembly inwhich the parts may be separated at will but'shall be prevented fromaccidental separation when the assembly is removed from the casing.

According to the present invention, the

lamp holder is slidable in a guide that is coaxially mounted in andinsulated from the head end of the lamp casing, the lamp holder beingprovided with flanges at itsends to guide it accurately along the axisof the easing. A centrally apertured reflector is so secured to the headend of the casing that it may be removed for cleaning, when desired,without disturbing thelamp and lamp holder assembly, and may beaccurately replaced with its aperture s0 positioned that the lamp bulbmay properly project therethrough.

The objects and novel features of this invention will be apparent fromthe following description, taken with the accompanying drawing which isa central longitudinal sectional view of a focusingflashlight embodyingthis invention.

' In the drawing, lOdesignates a tubular casing of metal or othersuitable material that is adapted to contain the usual battery of drycells B, which-furnish current tolight the lamp filament. These cellsmay be inand the holder carrying it shall be serted and removedthroughthe bottom end of the casing, which has a closure cap 11' carryingtherein a conductive shell 12 forming a compartment to hold spare bulbsand engaging the bottom of the battery to hold the latter in place. Theclosure cap 11 is threaded onto the threaded lower end of the casing, asat 13, whereby the cap is adjustable axially of the casing to'move thebattery and focus the lamp, as will be'explained.

The head end of the casing is enlarged slightly andthreaded, as at 15,to receive a similarly threaded head fitting 16 which encloses thereflector R and supports the lens ring 17 carrying the reflector and thelens "or cover glass E in frontof the reflector. An

inturned flange 18 is provided on the fitting to form a supportingsurface for an annular insulating'washer 19. An outturned flange jpledto a similarly threaded part 22 of the fitting 16; The periphery of theinsulating washer 19 projects into a groove 23 in the lens ring, andsupports the reflector and lens and prevents them from falling out ofthe ring 17 when the lens ring assembly is removed from the fitting 16.However, the washer 19 is sufficiently yieldable to permit it to beforced past the shoulder 24 on the lens ring to separate the lens andreflector from the lens ring when it is desired to clean theparts.

The reflector has a central aperture 25 through'which the incandescentlamp L projects. The lamp is mounted in a holder'H that is slidable in aguideGaxially of the aperture 25 and casing 10. The guide G is'disposedwithin and secured to an insulating tube or sleeve D tightlyand'frictionally fitting inside the enlargement 15 and abutting at oneend against the interior shoulder 26, while the other end projectsbeyond the end of the casing body.

The reflector and lamp holder are thus supported independently of oneanother, whereby the reflector assembly may be removed and replacedwithout disturbing the lamp, lamp holder and focusing assembly.Moreover, the lamp holder focusing assembly may be inserted andwithdrawn as a separate unit. The guide G may be a metal shell that hasa flaring upper end or flange 28 provided with an outturned flange 29-at its upper endresting upon the upper end of the insulating tube D. Theflange 28 closes the end of the tube D and case 10, and a numb-er ofoutward punches 30 therein e'X- tend into the insulation D to hold theguide in place and against rotation.

The improved lamp holder H is slidable axially within the guide G, andis desirably amachined metal piece internally threaded to recieve theusual threaded base of the incandescent lamp L. At its upper end thelamp holder has an integral collar 32 having a sliding lit in the guideG- and-is recessed at 32 to receive a longitudinal rib 33 Within thewall of the guide to prevent rotation of the holder as it moveslengthwise of the guides The guide is also provided with acircumferential interior bead 34% that provides a shoulder to engage thecollar 32 and limit the movement of the holder in 'one direction. Theother end of the holder H is formed with a reduced section 35 pro vidingnarrow inner and outer shoulders, respectively receiving the insulatingdiscs 36, 37 and a metal collar 38, which are firnly secured to theholder by riveting or spinning over the end of the part 35, as shown.The insulating discs 36 and 37 clamp between them the conductive meanswhereby current is carried from the center battery contact B to thecenter lamp contact. Such means may consist-of'an inverted cup-shapedcontact 39 that is engageable by the center battery contact, and ametal:plate a0 carrying a spring'contact 41 projecting through a hole in thedisc 36 and adapted to en- S that is confined in the space'between theholder and gulde and has its other end hearing against an annular springseat-4C3 which freely fits around the holder and engages "against theunder side of the internal head or shoulder 34.

The spring S is thus compressible during the movement of the holder inone direction,that is, toward the front end of tlie 1 lamp, and itslimit of compression serves to limit the movement of the lamp in thatdirection. When the compressing force is released, the spring S operatesto positively move the lamp holder and lamp in the opposite directionuntil such movement is limited by the collar 32 engaging the bead 34.Between these limits of focusing movement, the lamp filament maybepositioned in the focus desired with relation to the reflector R.

The focusing movement is effected by rotating the bottom cap 11 inthe'proper direction. By screwing the cap onto the casing, the batteryis pressed forward by the shell 12, and, the pressure of the batteryagainst the lamp holder slides the latter to move the lamp and itsfilament outwardly along the reflector axis.

This movement also compresses the spring S but the parts are held inanyadjusted position by thefrict-ion of the interfitting threads at 13;Reverse rotation of the cap 11 allows the spring S to expand to move theholder H and lamp L inwardly to changethe position of the filamentrelatively to the focus of the reflector. .In both directionsofmovement, the battery is moved and guided along with the holder, andits electrodes are maintained *11'1 contact with the conductive contacts12 tact 39, plate L0, springcontact ll-to the center lamp contact;through the lamp .filamerit and threaded outer lamp contact to theholder H and guide-G thence from theflange 28 through the conductor 4a,switch W, casing 10, cap 11 andshell 12 to .theother elec- J I trode of.thebattery.

\Vhile the improved construction is shown in detail it will beunderstood that minor changes vmay be made .in various features withoutdeparting from the principles of'the u invention.

I claim: 1. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination .ofa casing;arefiector carried thereby and having an aperture; a guide mountedwithin said casing mdependently of said reflector;..anincandescent:lampprojectmg through said aperture; .a lamp holder slidable along saidguide; and means whereby said lamp holder. is. adj nstable; in oppositedirections axially along .said a guide; said holder having spacedcollars :cooperating withan intermediate part of saidguidezto -limitthe. movement of said holder.

2. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing having;aninturned flange and a threaded portion adjacent .said flange; a washeron said flange having a peripheral edge projecting outside the -out lineof said threaded portion a reflector having a marginal flange seated onsaid washer but narrower than the latter; a lens seated on saidreflector flange and a lens ring engaging said lens and having athreaded skirt 5 interfitting with said threaded portion of the casingto clamp said lens, reflector, and washer against said flange, said lensring hav ing an interior groove to receive and retain the peripheraledge of said washer, said 10 washer being yieldable at will to releasesaid reflector and said lens from said ring.

3. In a focusing battery hand lamp, a casing; a reflector, a lens and alens ring thereon removable and replaceable as a unit; in

combination with a slidable non-rotatable lamp holder, a guide thereforand a support for said guide removable and replaceable as a Jnitindependently of the first mentioned unit.

: 4. A battery hand lamp comprising the combination of a casing; areflector; a lens; a rotatable lens ring for clamping said reflector andlens to said casing; and means carried by said lens ring to preventaccidental separation of said reflector and lens therefrom butpermitting their removal at will; said means comprising an insulatingwasher having its peripheral edge received and retained in a groove insaid ring.

:o 5. A focusing battery hand lamp comprising the combination of acasing; a reflector insulated from and carried by said casing; aninsulating tube Within and carried by said. casing; a guide having aflange supported by said insulating tube and a reduced portion spacedfrom said tube; a lamp holder slidable axially in said reduced portionof said guide and a spring cooperating with said. holder and guide.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

RALPH B. SMITH.

